339th Fighter Group

Group
Captain George Hrico, Captain Evan M "Johnny" Johnson, Major Archie A Tower and Lieutenant Richard E Krauss of the 339th Fighter Group in front of a P-51 Mustang (6N-W, serial number 44-14705) nicknamed "Boomerang". Image via James G Robinson. Written on slide casing: 'Cpt Hrico, Johnson, Tower & Krauss, 505 FS, Archie Tower.'

Object Number - FRE 5970 - Captain George Hrico, Captain Evan M "Johnny" Johnson, Major Archie A Tower and Lieutenant Richard E Krauss of the 339th Fighter Group in front of a...

In the years before deployment to the UK, the Group had been designated as a Bombardment Group (Dive) and trained in A-24 and A-25 dive-bombers and P-39 Airacobras. When, in April 1944, they joined the Eighth Air Force in Britain though, the pilots were expected to fly P-51 Mustangs, an aircraft they had no or little experience flying. The Group learnt fast and recorded the highest claims of air and ground enemy aircraft victories in the space of one year. The 339th was also the only Group to claim over 100 ground strafing victories on two occasions: 105 on 4 April 1935 and 118 on 11 April 1945.

Commanding Officers

Colonel John B. Henry, of the 339th Fighter Group, stands beside P-51 Mustang (6N-A, serial number 42-106676), known as "San Antone Rose" after Henry's home town of San Antonio, Texas. He is probably at Fowlmere air base, near Duxford, where the 339th Fighter Group were based between 5 April 1944 and 10 October 1945.

John B Henry

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 45th Combat Bomb Wing 339th Fighter Group Headquarters (339th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-24107
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

William C Clark

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (339th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: 33068952 / O-22475
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot; Group Commander

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Fowlmere 5 April 1944 - 10 October 1945

Encompassing

People

Abraham A Adler

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group
  • Highest Rank: Private First Class

Afton W Anderson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group

Adolph E Angulo

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group
  • Service Numbers: 39568484
  • Highest Rank: Private

Alfred Barnes

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant

Alfred L Bears

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group
  • Highest Rank: Private First Class

Aircraft

42-103295

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

42-103299

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

42-103314

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 505th Fighter Squadron

42-103325

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

42-103342

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron

Mission

896

  • Date: 19 March 1945
  • Official Description: 1,273 bombers and 675 fighters are dispatched to hit airfields and industrial targets in Germany visually and with H2X radar; clouds force 2 of the 3 forces to hit secondaries; 100+ Luftwaffe fighters including 36 Me 262s in formation (largest number...

Revisions

Date24 Dec 2019 07:28:09
ContributorSOLIDKREATE
Sources

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/284

Date26 Feb 2015 16:14:00
Contributorrossingtonj
Sources

Associated with Fowlmere village

Date26 Feb 2015 15:35:49
Contributorrossingtonj
Sources

Fowlmere dates from and to updated.

Date7 Feb 2015 18:02:22
Contributorrossingtonj
Sources

339th Fighter Group website: http://www.339thfg.com

Date7 Feb 2015 16:44:20
Contributorrossingtonj
Sources

339th Fighter Group memorial at Fowlmere airfield.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:42:45
ContributorAAM
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

339th Fighter Group: Gallery (241 items)

A P-51 Mustang ('5Q') of the 504th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '504FS, 339th F.G.'

Object number: FRE 10768 - A P-51 Mustang ('5Q') of the 504th Fighter...

A P-51 Mustang (D7-C) of the 503rd Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group is parked alongside a B-24 Liberator.

Object number: FRE 10769 - Lieutenant Colonel Dale E Shafers' P-51 Mustang 44...

A long line of P-51 Mustangs, including a 354th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group aircraft (WR-A, serial number 44-15625) on the far right. (5Q-Z) of the 504th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group is roughly in the middle. Handwritten on slide casing: '355th F.G.'

Object number: FRE 10773 - A long line of P-51 Mustangs, including a 354th...

A P-51 Mustang (C5-H) of the 364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group at Bassingbourn airbase in January 1945. Handwritten on slide casing: 'At Bassingbourn, 1/45. 357th F.G.'

Object number: FRE 10777 - A P-51 Mustang (5Q-H) of the 504th Fighter...

A P-51 Mustang (serial number 42-106579) nicknamed "Sally" of the 339th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-106579.'

Object number: FRE 2779 - A P-51 Mustang (serial number 42-106579) nicknamed...

A pilots of the 339th Fighter Group with a P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Ticket Home".

Object number: FRE 2780 - A pilot of the 339th Fighter Group with a P-51...

Ground personnel winch a crashed P-51 Mustang (5Q-Y) of the 504th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group after a nose landing.

Object number: FRE 2781 - Ground personnel winch a crashed P-51 Mustang (5Q...

A crashed P-51 Mustang (5Q-B, serial number 44-13569) of the 504th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group.

Object number: FRE 2782 - A crashed P-51 Mustang (5Q-B, serial number 44...

A crashed P-51 Mustang (6N-C) nicknamed "Butch" of the 505th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '504th F.S., 339th F.G., 8th Air Force.'

Object number: FRE 2783 - A crashed P-51 Mustang (6N-C) nicknamed "Butch" of...

A P-51 Mustang (5Q-Q, serial number 42-106672) of the 504th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group, that has crash landed, 18 May 1944. Official caption on image: "-Restricted.- Chedburgh. 314SG - 18 May 1944 - A/C Crash Damage - G-115-P-51-2106672." On reverse: US Army For Personal Use Only [Stamp].

Object number: FRE 2784 - A P-51 Mustang (5Q-Q, serial number 42-106672) of...

A P-51 Mustang of the 339th Fighter Group prepares for take off at Fowlmere. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Epp.'

Object number: FRE 2785 - A P-51 Mustang of the 339th Fighter Group prepares...

A P-51 Mustang (D7-A, serial number 44-11623) nicknamed "Rusty" of the 503rd Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group . Handwritten caption on reverse: '411623, D7-A.'

Object number: FRE 2786 - A P-51 Mustang (D7-A, serial number 44-11623)...